Sandy Shares a Popular Recipe from Wyoming

By Sandy Olson

Claudia, a friend here at Palm Shadows RV Park, told me about Chugwater Chili, the very popular Wyoming tradition that includes an annual cook-off in the town with the same name. You can purchase Chugwater chili seasoning there or online, but for this recipe, you can substitute any high-quality chili seasoning mix from the grocery store. The cook-off started in 1986 and is still going strong!

Chili Tot Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup water

½ cup chopped yellow onion

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce OR diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons Chugwater Chili Seasoning

1 package (28 oz.) frozen potato tots

1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese blend

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium, heavy saucepan, brown the ground beef. When brown, add onion and cook about 5 minutes. Add the chili seasoning and mix to season the beef. Add the beans, water, and tomato sauce (or tomatoes) and simmer for about 15 minutes. Pour this into a 9x13-inch baking pan and cover the top with a layer of the frozen tots. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Cover with the shredded cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve hot with salad and dessert.

Lifelong foodie, restaurant reviewer, cooking teacher, and summer Iowan Sandy Olson spends the Winter-Texan season at Palm Shadows RV Park in Donna. This season, Sandy will be sharing recipes from across the U.S. and Canada. If you have a favorite recipe from your “other” home you’d like to share, you can contact Sandy at midwestfoodie@gmail.com. • and centuries-old Montezuma Cypress. The bridge dates back to the late 1800s and was part of the Jagou Plantation. It is located in La Posada Park, 1363 La Posada Park. •